A Day at the Ballpark, and Other Stories

About the Book

Meet the characters of Steve Holt’s new novel, Realworld.com:

Chris Doerr, 45, the richest man in the world and CEO of Realworld.com, the world’s largest corporation, located on a huge campus with several dozen buildings spread over several square miles in Green Mound, Vermont.  Doerr has taken over the world of technology and computers by establishing Images and its several revisions as the worldwide standard operating system.  More of a rapacious businessman than the creative programmer he’d like to be seen as, he is the creator of the secret IMAGINATION program that he hopes to use either to turn the economic world upside down or to finish the job of taking it over.  Dropped out of Harvard 25 years ago to start a software company, and became the Geek with the Golden Touch, ultimately using his hi-tech hegemony to turn every vehicle on the Info Superhighway into his own personal Brink’s truck.  

Heather Wade, 35, newly hired vice-president for Corporate Giving at Realworld.com, formerly one of the top social change activists in the country, single mother, and idealist who is nonetheless trying to make ends meet and provide a decent life for her daughter Willow, who is a legacy of the Heather’s brief period as a free-spirited sophomore at Harvard.  When she takes the job at Realworld.com she becomes tethered to a madman because of her need for money and her desire to create meaningful social change, but ultimately her ties to Willow, Overtime, and her basic ideals are stronger.

Willow Wade, 12, Heather’s precocious daughter and an exceptional basketball player.  At first she is drawn to Chris Doerr, but the emergence of Overtime as her long-lost father allows her to pull away from Doerr.

Jack “Overtime” Overton, 37, alcoholic, investigative reporter, former Harvard University basketball star and unlikely hero of the 1986 NCAA Basketball Tournament who signed an NBA contract and lasted for two months and 73 minutes of playing action with the Celtics.  Initially hardboiled about relationships and unsure of his ability to be a good father, he sobers up and summons strength, tenacity, and courage to give Willow what she needs, confront Doerr, and create real possibilities with Heather.

The confrontation is inevitable.  When the dust settles, will there be any future worth imagining for Overtime, Heather, and Willow?

About the Author

Steve Holt lives near Boston with his wife and their son. After writing each morning he works as Sales Manager at Inc.’s Product Group and fools around with a website at www.eBest.00go.com. He has been a teacher, sportswriter, political organizer, elected official, number cruncher, fruit picker, dishwasher, and coach.